One Life, One Incarnation, Beautiful Bones

59

Epilogue 3 - Together to the End of Our Days[1]

It was the third anniversary of Wenxing's death when they at last returned to the old family manor in Zhenjiang once again. As they were heading back from the gravesite, Zhousheng Chen unexpectedly made the suggestion to offer up incense at the temple. She was extremely surprised by this but did not disagree, only holding their youngest child, Zhou Mushi on her lap as she looked at him with a somewhat amused expression. "My scientist, why are you suddenly enlightened?"

He smiled and was about to say something when Zhou Mushi grabbed his finger.

The little one-year-old child opened his mouth and was about to close it around the finger but was stopped by Shi Yi, who took a disinfecting wipe and carefully cleansed each of Zhousheng Chen's fingers before stuffing the index finger into her son's mouth...

This great scientist who studied the planet, Venus had been utterly reduced to being his son's toy...

As she played with her son, the question she had asked earlier slipped from her mind.

Zhousheng Chen watched her and smiled, not continuing what he had been saying either.

As they learned to walk, they enjoyed sauntering slowly around the temple grounds. Uncle Lin and two other attendant girls were present to take care of them, so this was not worrisome.

Shi Yi did not really want the children to enter into the great hall of the temple and carefully handed her son over to the wet nurse accompanying them before stepping into the hall alone.

She was a believer of Buddhism, so when she offered up incense, she was always genuinely reverent. With palms and fingers pressed together prayerfully, she knelt on the kneeling cushion, which already had two deep permanent indentations on them, and bowed three times worshipfully to Buddha. When she opened her eyes, she discovered a figure had also knelt down beside her.

It, surprisingly, was Zhousheng Chen.

Incredulously, she watched him as he pressed his palms and fingers together, closed his eyes, and said a prayer to Buddha of whch she did know the details of.

All these years, she had never seen him bow in worship of Buddha before... This change was simply too astonishing!

The Buddha was smiling as he looked down from on high at the two of them in that great hall. Shi Yi stared unblinkingly at Zhousheng Chen until he lowered his hands and opened his eyes.

"When did you start believing in Buddhism?"

He smiled, "Three years ago."

"Three years ago?"

"Yes, three years ago." He stretched out an arm and helped her back up before saying, "Three years ago, you were unwilling to wake up and remained in your state of slumber."

"And then?" she anxiously pressed.

"And then I brought you back to Shanghai. When I was tidying the room, I found what you had written."

"I know that... But what does it have to do with you believing in Buddhism?"

"You would not wake up. I desperately tried everything, and so, I came here," he told her in a low voice as he looked back upon the memory. "When I came, it was nighttime and there was no one. And then, I stood right here, remembering that we had once discussed our beliefs and religion. I had told you I was an aetheist."

She gave an "mm" in reply. It was almost as if she truly could see him standing opposite the Buddha, here, in this great temple hall, amidst the flickering lamplight.